Can You Eat Before a Scheduled C-Section

I know that with other surgeries I have never been allowed to eat after midnight. I assume this will be the case for my scheduled Csection on 9/14.

But then I was thinking about the fact that my water could break at any time and since they are breech they would automatically do a csection. What if my water broke right after dinner?

Anyhow, not overly important in the big scheme of things. I'm just knowing that I'll be scared and nervous anyhow and that lightheaded and dizzy will not be a fun addition to that.

 

I've never had a c-section but I would think that you can't. I was induced with the twins and they said nothing to eat after midnight just in case something happened and I'd have to have a c-section. I was also very worried about the lightheaded/dizziness as I get that way when I'm hungry but for some reason it didn't even hit me.....I made it to the whole next day until about 6 p.m. without eating and I was fine. Good Luck!!

 

No I couldn't eat before mine.

 

No! No eating after midnight. I'm sure there are things in place if you go into labor on your own and you've eaten. With the boys-the wouldn't let me eat until the next morning! With Annabella, I was eating that night! Weird!

Good luck!

 

No, I was instructed not to eat after midnight as well. Not sure what they do if your water breaks, that might be something you want to ask your OB about just in case.

 

mine were 8 and 10 years ago but no I was ordered not to eat before mine

 

I asked my favorite nurse what happens with people who have emergency c-sections and she told me that they go ahead and operate but there is a slightly elevated risk and they keep a closer eye on you. Personally, I was willing to take the chance because I was so freaking hungry but they wouldn't let me eat and told me they'd postpone my surgery until the next day if I cheated

The theory is that if your stomach is empty, you won't throw up from the meds.

 

Another one that was told to not eat after midnight!!

Thanks Michelle for the answer about eating and emergency c/s's!

 

I had a scheduled c/s with Olivia, but my water broke 4 days early. My water broke when I woke up at 9 am and I just didn't eat breakfast (although I was starving) b/c I knew I would be having a c/s. That's the first thing they asked when I came in...was the last time that I ate. It was about 8 pm the night before, so I was good with no food in my stomach. I didn't have my c/s until almost 2 pm, I was STARVING!

 

I have also been instructed not to eat anything after midnight before my scheduled c-section.

With my twins, I ate a big fat pasta dinner, and then started having contractions and went to the hospital. We were told we were going to do a c-section that night, but it wasn't an emergency per say. I ate dinner around 8pm, and they didn't end up doing my c-section until 4am, so I guess they figured it was enough time.

 

It is just like any other surgery and they will tell you not to eat before. Mine was an emergency c/s, but they "thought" it might be coming so they didn't give me any lunch just to be safe.

 

No food prior to either of my c-sections either - we've gone out for a huge meal with family the night before both, then I have been scheduled for early surgery both times - 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. My 9/1 section is scheduled for 10 a.m., which has me a little freaked out because I am a big fan of breakfast - never, ever skip - and always wake up starving. I'm hoping I'll be too nervous to worry about my stomach ...

As far as eating after, I was on a liquid diet (on a fancy menu to make you feel like you were having a three course meal - ha ha) for the first day with my first c-section; my epidural was still in place. I had a spinal with my second section and was allowed to order lunch that day, which surprised me, but I was hungry and I ate it and was fine. Not sure if the type of anesthesia made the difference or what.

 

You will never be allowed to eat before any kind of surgery. If you're lucky they MIGHT let you sip water for up to a few hours before, but even thats not guaranteed. They usually say "not even a sip of water" or they will cancel. I was always told that its so that you dont vomit and then choke on it while you're under. As for eating afterwards, in my experience, that has depended on how I felt. After my fibroid surgery they were more than willing to let me eat anything I wanted off the menu, but I could not face food. I was finally able to stomach some cream of chicken soup after a couple of hours, but food was not high on my list of priorities.

I've also had doctors tell me that I have to get rid of my nail polish prior to surgery. This is so they can see your nail beds and tell if you are turning blue. Boy, I have had waaay too many operations. :blink:

 

No, you're not allowed to eat. My water broke in the morning when I first got up so I didn't eat. On the way to the hospital I had two TINY sips of water because my mouth was so dry from being nervous. The nurse actually yelled at me saying that my babies could drown in those 2 sips of water...bit ridiculous. :huh:

 

They told me no eating after midnight either. I was very glad that I listened because I spent several hours after the c section vomiting.

 

Yep, no eating after midnight here either. I had my c-section at about noon but I didn't eat for several days after b/c I was so sick with complications.

 

In my paperwork for my scheduled c-section, it said not to eat after midnight and my surgery was scheduled for 9am. However my water broke at home and I had an "emergency" c-section at 5am. I had eaten dinner the night before (2 coney dogs, french fries, a chocolate milkshake) and then a snack before I went to bed (popcorn at midnight). I had water when I got up to go to the bathroom at 2am when my water broke. Once I got to the hospital and they knew when I had eaten I had to drink a little shot of some anti nausea stuff. It was fine and I was eating later that day.

 

My c-section with the twins wasn't planned. I ate at 7pm and delivered them at 1:30 am. I did throw up when I went into labor though, so maybe that made a difference? With Elizabeth I couldn't eat after midnight and had a scheduled section at 8 am. This time it's 8:30 am with nothing to eat after midnight.

 

i asked my ob WHY i couldn't even have some water in the morning before..it's not because of the vomiting, though that is a concern, it's because of all of the pushing on your belly they are doing they could push the contents of your stomach up in to your throat and down in to your lungs and then you would have pneumonia...